When considering the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, you should weigh your preferences and needs. The Framework offers a higher resolution and a 3:2 screen aspect ratio which is beneficial for productivity tasks, but it's typically much more expensive and slightly less portable due to a shorter battery life. It excels in build quality, portability, and has a high-quality screen, making it suitable for both general use and engineering tasks. On the other hand, the IdeaPad Slim 3 has a larger screen and is more budget-friendly, with better battery life making it highly portable. However, it may not perform as well in tasks that demand high performance, such as 3D rendering or engineering, but its touchscreen and numeric keypad make it a practical choice for everyday use and casual activities. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Framework Laptop 13 (2023)
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
7.0/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
472.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use, though the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is preferred for general use due to a higher screen quality with better color accuracy, a more powerful CPU with better integrated graphics, and a lighter, more portable design, but with less impressive battery life compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, which offers longer battery life and a larger screen, but sacrifices CPU performance and screen color accuracy.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
6.1/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is only fair.
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is better for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i5-1340P CPU and Iris Xe GPU which can handle demanding tasks, along with a high-resolution screen that offers better color accuracy and sharpness which is ideal for detail-oriented work.
Screen Quality
7.4/10
6.4/10
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
472.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Framework Laptop 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Framework Laptop 13 offers a high-resolution display with better brightness, enhancing the quality and clarity for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but lacks a high refresh rate crucial for smooth gaming and 3D rendering. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 provides a satisfactory display for typical use and engineering tasks, balancing resolution and brightness at a lower quality than the Framework, but also falls short in gaming due to its modest refresh rate. Both laptops have adequate color accuracy for professional design, with the Framework likely excelling due to superior color gamut coverage, which is less of a priority for general use and insufficient for high-end gaming that relies on fast screen updates.
Battery
7.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Framework Laptop 13 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Good
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.5/10
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,079
$400
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) has a price of $1,079 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $400.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Framework Laptop 13 (2023) to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
Both the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) with its Intel i5-1340P Iris Xe graphics and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 with its AMD Ryzen 3 7330U Vega 6 graphics offer GPUs that provide a fair level of performance for gaming and 3D applications, though they would not match the power of dedicated gaming GPUs. Even with screen refresh rates capped at a standard 60Hz, which limits the fluidity in fast-paced games, both laptops have decent screen quality and processing power that contribute to their fair performance in such tasks.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.2/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.6/10
7.1/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 compare to other laptops
"If you’re thinking of investing in your first Framework, now is the time. The kinks and rough edges have all been smoothed out and this is a very nice machine with a bright, upgradable future. The only reason I can think of to wait is the AMD model, which I’ll be sure to test as soon as I can get my hands on one."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
About Framework
Framework is a new American laptop manufacturer, specializing in modular and repairable laptops with the goals of promoting longevity and reducing electronic waste. They are a strong proponent of the right to repair movement. Framework laptops have replaceable RAM, storage, ports, keyboards, display bezels, mainboards, and more, making them a great choice for repairability-oriented individuals.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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